Browse Topic: Oxygen
Plastic materials are used for a wide variety of spacecraft applications including seals, bearings, fasteners, electrical insulators, thermal isolators, and radomes. Selecting plastics for use in space is complex due to wide operating temperature ranges, vacuum conditions, and exposure to radiation and atomic oxygen. Additionally, some spacecraft applications require sealing flammable propellants such as hydrogen and oxygen. This article will present some design considerations when selecting plastics for use in spacecraft. It will provide rich data on the performance characteristics of plastics as well as examples of successful spacecraft applications.
Reliable seed germination and plant production requires an environment that is neither too dry nor too wet. PONDS was developed to improve water and nutrient delivery for plants grown on the International Space Station (ISS). The technology uses an innovative wicking material to passively link a water/nutrient reservoir to a growth cylinder where seeds are germinated and plants are produced. PONDS addresses limitations with existing ISS plant-production technology by providing consistent delivery of water/nutrients, improving oxygen transfer to plants, and allowing users to determine how much water is being applied.
Medical tubing is an essential component of countless healthcare applications, from intravenous (IV) and oxygen lines to catheters and diagnostic equipment. These tubes, often made of clear flexible polymers, must be produced to exacting standards: free of contaminants, strong under pressure, and biocompatible. However, the joining process to connect these tubes can introduce significant manufacturing challenges.
NASA's Cryogenic Flux Capacitor (CFC) capitalizes on the energy storage capacity of liquefied gases. By exploiting a unique attribute of nano-porous materials, aerogel in this case, fluid commodities such as oxygen, hydrogen, methane, etc. can be stored in a molecular surface-adsorbed state. This cryogenic fluid can be stored at low to moderate pressure densities, on par with liquid, and then quickly converted to a gas, when the need arises. This solution reduces both safety-related logistics issues and the limitations of complex storage systems.
NASA Kennedy Space Center engineers developed a Cryogenic Oxygen Storage Module (COSM) to store oxygen in solid-state form and deliver it as a gas to an end-use environmental control and/or life support system. Additionally, the COSM can scrub out nuisance or containment gases such as carbon dioxide and/or water vapor in conjunction with supplying oxygen, forming a synergistic system when used in a closed-loop application.
I’m guessing that when you think about applications for AI, physical fitness is not the first thing that comes to mind. But it is actually one of the more common applications. The most popular fitness sensors use AI to keep track of how many steps you’ve taken, track your progress, and integrate that with health information like heartrate or even blood oxygen level. But AI can do much more than that.
Although progress has recently been made to characterise the transition of microscopic liquid fuel droplets from classical evaporation to a diffusive mixing regime, still little is known about the transition from one to the other under reactive conditions. The lack of experimental data for microscopic droplets at realistic operating conditions impedes the development of phenomenological and numerical models for droplet mixing, ignition, combustion and soot formation. In order to address this issue we performed systematic measurements using high- speed long-distance microscopy, for n-dodecane into gas at elevated temperatures (from 750 to 1,600 K) and pressures up to 13 MPa. We describe these high- speed visualizations at the microscopic level, including the time evolution of the liquid droplets, reaction wave, and soot distribution. Our measurements show that these parameters are influenced by the operating conditions (gas pressure, gas temperature, oxygen content) as well as the physical properties of the fuel.
Diesel engines operated at high altitudes would experience performance degradation due to the fuel-air amount mismatch, resulting in combustion deterioration. Technologies that supplement oxygen concentration, such as intake oxygen enrichment, turbocharging and the addition of oxygenated fuel additives, can help restore performance at high altitudes, but each has its own limitations Operating diesel engines at high altitudes still generates extremely lean fuel-air mixtures, making the improved utilization of excess air the most economically efficient approach to optimize engine performance under such conditions. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of injector nozzle-hole numbers on diesel engines operated at high altitudes, a topic that has been limitedly discussed in existing literature, with the aim of enhancing understanding regarding the potential of this cost-effective approach and aiding in the design of a cooperative approach between oxygen concentration supplementation techniques and better oxygen utilization techniques, ultimately optimizing engine performance at high altitudes. The results suggest that increasing the number of nozzle-holes enhances fuel-air mixing, leading to improved combustion quality and enhancing the engine’s adaptability to altitude. However, at extremely high altitudes, such as altitudes exceeding 3000 meters, configurations with a larger number of nozzle-holes still exhibit high concentrations of incomplete combustion products, such as soot emissions, in the exhaust. This reduced combustion efficiency is mainly attributed to the longer spray penetration length at high altitudes, which causes intensified spray impingement on the cavity wall, subsequently resulting in inefficient combustion of the fuel flowing into the squish zone during spray impingement. This inefficiency may be mitigated by optimizing the shape of the combustion chamber. It is worth noting that increasing the number of nozzle-holes can also lead to a higher pressure rise rate. Considering that high altitude operations already result in a higher pressure rise rate, further increasing the nozzle-hole number may exceed the allowable threshold and increase the likelihood of engine component failure. Consequently, the strength of engine components becomes a limiting factor when attempting to increase the number of nozzle-holes for improved engine altitude adaptation.
This Aerospace Information Report provides general information to aircraft designers and engineers, regarding LOX, its properties, its storage and its conversion to gas. Much useful information is included herein for aircraft designers regarding important design considerations for a safe and effective installation to an aircraft. The associated ground support equipment needed to support operations of LOX equipped aircraft is also discussed. It is important to realize that LOX equipped aircraft cannot be supported unless this support infrastructure is also available. A significant part of this document will address the specific advantages, disadvantages and precautions relating to LOX systems. These are important issues that must be considered in deciding which oxygen system to install to the aircraft. Also, many commercial and military aircraft use aeromedical LOX equipment that is mostly portable equipment. Aeromedical LOX equipment is not addressed herein as it is beyond the scope of this document.
A new kind of solar panel, developed at the University of Michigan, has achieved 9 percent efficiency in converting water into hydrogen and oxygen — mimicking a crucial step in natural photosynthesis. Outdoors, it represents a major leap in the technology, nearly 10 times more efficient than solar water-splitting experiments of its kind.
This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) provides general information on Continuous Flow Oxygen Systems which are available, principle functions of those systems and technical approaches to be taken into account during design and realization of systems. However, particular performance specifications and detailed information of manufacturing, testing and integration of such systems is beyond the scope of this document.
Closed-cycle protective breathing apparatus, commonly referred to as rebreathers, or CCBA provide trained aircrew members or ground personnel with eye and respiratory protection from toxic atmospheres.
This specification covers a premium aircraft-quality alloy steel in the form of bars and forgings 199 square inches (1284 cm2) and under in cross section, and forging stock of any size.
The relative adhesive wear performance of rolling element bearing material pairs was evaluated using a constant entrainment stepped slide-to-roll (SRR) test protocol. Raceway materials included M50, M50NiL, 440C, and powder metallurgy M62 (M62 PM). Rolling element materials included M50, 440C, and Si3N4. The material interfaces of both all-steel and hybrid configurations were ranked based on the survived SRR. The Si3N4 and steel hybrid pairing increased the adhesive wear resistance, reduced the tractive effort of the contact, and enabled operation with reduced component temperatures throughout each test. Post-test wear track morphology and chemistry were investigated using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Steel alloying elements and elevated levels of oxygen were identified within the Si3N4 wear track from each hybrid material pair.
The Portable Helicopter Oxygen Delivery System (PHODS) provides supplemental oxygen (O2) to Army aircrew at altitudes up to 18,000 feet (ft) above mean sea level (MSL). Previous PHODS tests and evaluations (T&E) used conventional pulse oximetry to monitor peripheral blood O2 saturation (SpO2). The present T&E incorporates near infrared spectroscopic (NIRS) measures of regional cerebral blood O2 saturation (rSO2). Army aircrew (N = 22) assessed PHODS functionality and effectiveness in an altitude chamber during three challenges: 10 minutes of a visual reaction time test, 5 minutes of text reading, and 2 minutes of a physical workload challenge (self-paced squats). Throughout the T&E, SpO2 and rSO2 were measured continuously at ground level and at pressure altitudes of 14,000 and 17,800 ft MSL. Results indicate that the PHODS maintained constant SpO2 throughout all testing but not rSO2 in the presence of workload. The possible operational significance of this finding is discussed.
The intended upper bound of this specification is that the particle size distribution (PSD) of powders supplied shall be <60 mesh (250 μm) and that no powder (0.0 wt%) greater than 40 mesh (425 μm) is allowed.
In this experimental study, an attempt is made to enhance the performance characteristics of diesel fuel with two different natural additives (NA). Borassus Flabelifer (NB1) and Oryza Sativa straws (NB2) were chosen as natural additives. The selected natural additives were milled for 150 hours using a planetary ball mill and their particle sizes ranging from 120 to 125 nm. The milled natural additives were doped into neat diesel using a magnetic stirrer followed by ultrasonication and their stability was ascertained. The presence of high carbon and oxygen content was noted on EDS results of milled powder. The properties of fuel were analyzed as per ASTM standards and it was observed that there was a marginal decrease in calorific value, flash point, and fire point of the fuel. Performance analysis of the fuel was carried out in a diesel engine at different load conditions and it was observed that brake thermal efficiency reduced by 1.73 % and 1.24 % for NB1 and NB2 doped diesel respectively. CO and HC emissions were reduced by 15.42% and 17.09% for NB1-based fuel and by 8% and 12.67 % for NB2-based fuel, respectively. A reduction in CO and HC emissions was observed due to the availability of excess oxygen present in the natural-based fuel. High NOx was observed as 11.49 % and 8.72 % for NB1 and NB2 based fuel respectively. Hence, it is concluded that natural-based additives shows better reduction in emissions in IC engines.
Items per page:
50
1 – 50 of 1270